Welcome to Bloxham

Bloxham School is an independent, co-educational boarding and day school for students aged 11 to 18. Situated in north Oxfordshire, Bloxham offers a rural setting whilst being easily accessible from London and the Home Counties.

Admissions

Choosing the best secondary school to suit your child’s needs can be a daunting process. Our Admissions Department are happy to advise and discuss any questions you may have regarding life and learning at Bloxham School.

Senior Boys' Boarding House - Crake House

Crake House, named after the school’s first chaplain, was one of the first boarding houses at Bloxham. The house is situated directly opposite the school’s memorial arch and annexed to the Chapel. Crake is a boarding house steeped in pride and tradition coupled with a caring and positive outlook towards all its members.

Just through the main door into Crake, you find yourself in the hub of the house. This recently refurbished area has made a huge difference, creating a light and spacious area where all the year groups can come together: it is now the focal point for social congregation and has a great atmosphere. Crake consists of three floors with the younger years at the top, moving progressively down to the Upper Sixth on the ground floor.

This year, the Crake House Captain is Ed Whitfield.

House contact details

Housemaster

Robert Hudson joined Bloxham School as Head of History in September 2014 having previously taught for seven years in York, five of which were spent as an Assistant Housemaster. He became Assistant Housemaster of Stonehill in 2017, and is extremely excited to make the move across to Crake. As a proud Yorkshireman, Rob is a keen follower of the Yorkshire County Cricket Club, Leeds United and Leeds’ two rugby clubs, as well as York City FC. In terms of history, his interests principally lie in the Late Middle Ages and he currently sits on the History Advice Board at the University of York where he studied for both his undergraduate and postgraduate degrees. Rob will be moving into boarding with his wife Siân, a Research Scientist who is currently taking time off work to look after their two children, Harry and Amelia.

Assistant Housemaster

Saul Beavis joined Bloxham in September 2016, and hit the ground running, coaching the junior Colts A rugby team to a famous county cup victory, a side which had a heavy Crake House influence. Alongside teaching practical PE and games, he is also Head of Athletics, a sport he wishes to grow at Bloxham. After leaving professional rugby league and his beloved home town club, Hull FC, Saul studied at Bishop Burton College in the north of England on a three year rugby union scholarship. In his spare time he loves to return home to Yorkshire to catch up with family and friends, explore the coast line and surf. His other passion in life is music, especially music from the 60’s and of the rock ‘n’ roll variety.

Tutors

On joining Bloxham, each student is assigned a tutor. Tutors mentor and guide their tutees, monitoring and supporting their academic, spiritual, social, and physical development. They are in regular touch with a student’s home, to share with parents and guardians how the student is developing, passing on information and sharing ideas about how each individual can be helped to mature and grow.

Louis Yates is currently Head of Sixth Form and Head of Psychology at Bloxham, as well as being a Sixth Form tutor here in Crake. Alongside this he also teaches PE and PSHE plus coaching hockey, rugby and cricket – taking a variety of junior and senior teams. Louis has a passion for sport in general and also a love of pedagogy and learning. In his spare time he enjoys walking my dog, Harvey, and supporting Aston Villa!

Dave McLellan joined Crake five years ago after stints in Raymond (when it was a boys’ House - yes, it was that long ago!), Egerton and Wilberforce. Apart from his duties as Head of Languages, he enjoys coaching the senior boys tennis and squash and playing chess against any boy brave enough to challenge him! Having been at Bloxham for twenty years, he knows its idiosyncrasies as well as anyone, but he is still learning that Crake boys can surprise you with their myriad of talents, occasionally with their foolishness, but always with their first class “banter”!

Bertie Matthew is Director of Art and has been a tutor in Crake since September 2014. He teaches fine art and photography to all year groups and runs a number of art related activities and clubs in the afternoons. He enjoys coaching and playing fives and cricket, as well as running. In his spare time Bertie can be found painting in Devon, quietly practicing the bagpipes on a hill, visiting exhibitions in London, gardening in France and trekking in the Himalayas.

Sam Brassington returns to Bloxham (having worked here previously!) as Director of Drama and Sixth Form tutor in Crake. He has acted and directed professionally, been an A Level examiner and loves teaching and creating a wide range of drama with students. Sam enjoys travelling and has led a Drama Department in Rome, attempting the (very) basics of the language along the way! He is a keen runner and plays squash and football, and despite the recent relegation, he remains a fanatical Stoke City FC supporter! Crake has a vibrant energetic spirit with boys who are supportive of each other, and Sam cannot wait to be part of it again, returning from the Eternal City to the Eternal House!

Jocelyn Merris joined Bloxham in 2017 as Head of Maths. She has taught in a variety of schools in the UK and also spent some time teaching in Nepal. Jocelyn lives in Bloxham and enjoys making her house into a home, as well as reading, travelling and cooking meals for friends. She also enjoys being involved in the Duke of Edinburgh Award Scheme at Bloxham. She is a Sixth Form tutor in Crake.